Handle for fast-action valve

ABSTRACT

A handle for a fast-action valve having a laterally projecting rotary operator comprises a pair of symmetrically identical members joined together along a plane and forming cavity opening in line with the plane. The two handle halves may be connected together by means of adhesive bonding, pins, snap rigs, keys fitted axially into the top of the handle, etc.

l ite States reis 5 tent [191 Dec. 11, 1973 HANDLE FOR FAST-ACTION VALVE[76] Inventor: Philipp Kreis, Neumarkterstr.

34-36, Munich, Germany [22] Filed: l)ec.'3, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 204,453

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 26, 1971 Germany P 21 14847.0

[51] Int. Cl. F16k 31/60 [58] Field of Search ..251/251-263, 266, 267,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,291,183 1/1919 Schulder251/268 1,534,227 4/1925 Livergood 24/263 SC 3,614,059 10/1971 Rothauser251/368 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 802,840 10/1958 Great Britain.....251/263 1,194,219 6/1965 Germany 251/251 Primary Examiner-Martin P.Schwadron Assistant ExaminerDavid R. Matthews Attorney-1(arl F. Ross[57] ABSTRACT 9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 5a 15 ll HANDLE FORFAST-ACTION VALVE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relatesto a valve handle. More specifically this invention concerns a handlefor a fastaction valve having a rotary operator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A type of valve is known wherein the valvebody receives an axially displaceable valve stem that is has twolaterally extending arms received in axially extending slots so that itcannot rotate. The arms engage respective ramps on a cavity formed in ahandle such that rotation of the handle axially displaces the stem intoand out of sealing engagement with the valve seat.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide animproved handle for such a valve.

Another object is the provision of a valve handle of the above-describedgeneral type which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above objects are attained according to thepresent invention by a handle having an axially open cavity receivingthe operator. This handle is formed by a pair of symmetrically identicalmembers joined together along a junction plane including the axis of thecavity. The junction plane corresponds to one plane of symmetry of theelongated handle which has another plane of symmetry perpendicular tothe junction plane.

In accordance with another feature of this invention, the separationplane passes through that portion of the ramp or those portions of theramps corresponding to the open position of the valve. Since the amountof back pressure exerted on the valve stem is at the lowest level in thevalve-open position the tendency of such a handle to separate isminimized. In general the junction plane may intersect the camming rampat the location at which the valve stem applies to the ramp the minimumstress.

According to yet another feature of the invention the means joining thetwo handle halves together comprises elements such as keys, pins, orrings which engage both halves; alternatively or in addition, adhesivebondings, e.g., by thermal or ultrasonic welding, solvent welding,application of an adhesive, may be used.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The above and other objects, features, andadvantages will become apparent from the following, reference being madeto the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial vertical section through the valve according to thepresent invention, the section plane being located slightly inwardly ofthe handle junction plane; FIG. 2 is an exploded sectional view of thehandle of the valve according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the handle;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of yet another embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 5 is a top view of further embodiment of the handle according tothe present invention.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION As seen in FIG. 1 the valve has a body 1 in whichis formed a passage 1a extending. In the middle of the passage la thereis formed a laterally open annular valve seat 2 against which isengageable an elastomeric valve washer 7a carried on a valve stem 7.

A sleeve 5 which is coaxial with the seat 2 has a ledge 5a formed at itslower end which is received within a rim on the body 1. The sleeve 5 isformed at its other end with another outwardly projecting rim 5b whichis received under a ledge 17 in a cavity 12 ofa handle or actuatingmember 14 for the valve.

Coaxially received whithin the sleeve 5 and defining a cylindricallyannular space 3 in which a compression spring 8 is received is the valvestem 7 which has a pair of diametrically opposite radially extendingarms 9 received in longitudinal slots 6 formed in the sleeve 5. Thus,since the sleeve 5 is nonrotatable relative to the valve body 1, thevalve body 7 is also nonrotatable. The outer ends of the arms 9 areformed with bosses that ride on a pair of arcuate ramps 10 formed in thecavity 12 of the actuating handle 14 of the valve. Since the cavity 12is-generally cylindrical and the ledge or rim 17 that engages under theledge or rim 5b is circular this handle 14 can rotate about the sleeve5.

The extreme upper end of the sleeve 5 is received in a circular recess11 in the upper surface of the cavity 12 to prevent canting of thehandle 14 relative to the sleeve 5. An O-ring 15 is compressed betweenthe lower end of the spring 8 and the sleeve 5, and another seal lb isprovided between the lower end of the sleeve 5 and the body 1.

As seen in FIG. 2 the handle 14 is formed of a pair of symmetricallyidentical halves 20 and 21 interconnected by four pins 22 received inholes 24. The split or separation between the handle halves 20 and 21 isadvantageously through that part of the handle 20 corresponding to thehighest part of the ramp 10 for reasons explained hereinafter. Thus theseparation plane lies along the longitudinal plane of symmetry which isperpendicular to the transverse plane of symmetry of the elongatedhandle.

FIG. 3 shows how a handle half 30 can be formed on one side withprojecting pins 32 and the other side with cylindrical holes 31. Twosuch halves can be simply and easily connected together, advantageouslywith the addition of an adhesive between the two synthetic-resin halves.

In FIG. 4 a pair of rings 41 and 42 are used to connect together twohalves 40, one of which is shown. These rings are advantageously made ofa slightly elastic synthetic resin and are fitted into the halves 40with some prestress. A solvent can also be applied to the two faces ofthe elements 40 prior to fitting of the rings in order to bond themtogether.

FIG. 5 shows a pair of valve halves 50 and 51 joined on one side by asimple staple 52 and on the other side by means of a sort of key piece53 having enlarged ends 54 fitted into a correspondingly spahed hole inthe two elements, spanning the division plane P. These fasteners areadvantageously metallic.

The valve described above is of the fast-open, fastclose type whereinrotation of the handle 14 through an angle of in either directionsuffices to bring it from the fully opened to the fully closed position.Thus when the two bosses on the arms 9 rest in the position shown inFIG. 1 at the extreme highest regions of the ramps 10, the valve isfully opened. Rotation of the valve handle 14 in either direction willcam the arms 9 and hence the valve stem 7 downwardly against the forceof the spring 8 to bring the washer 7a carried on its lower end intosealing engagement with the seat 2 thereby fully closing the valve. Thehandle 14 is rotatable only; it does not move along its axis of rotationat all but merely rotates therearound.

The separation plane P of the handle 14 lies perpendicular to the arms 9when they are in the down position compressing the spring 11 andparallel thereto in the relatively unstressed up position so that forcestending to spread the handle 14 apart are low to minimize chances ofbreaking the handle in half at the plane P.

I claim:

1. A handle for a valve having a laterally projecting rotary operator,said handle comprising a pair of members together forming an axiallyopen cavity receiving said operator and constituting the onlycavity-forming members, and means for joining said members togetheralong a junction plane of the axis of said cavity, said members beingsubstantially identical and mirror symmetrical, said cavity being formedwith at least one ramp engageable with said operator to axially displacesame, said ramp bearing upon said operator with relatively high pressurein one axial position of said operator and with relatively low pressurein another axial position thereof, said ramp extending continuouslyannularly around said axis along both members.

2. The handle defined in claim 1 wherein said plane extends through theregion of engagement between said operator and said ramp in said otheraxial position of said operator.

3. The handle defined in claim 2 wherein said means includes at leastone pin and a corresponding recess formed on each member for receivingthe pin of the other.

4. The handle defined in claim 2 wherein said means for joining saidmembers together includes at least one ring lying in a planeperpendicular to said junction plane and said axis while spanning saidjunction plane and engaging said members.

5. The handle defined in claim 2 wherein said means for joining saidmembers together includes at least one fastener bridged across saidplane with said members.

6. The handle defined in claim 2 wherein the handle is elongated and hasa first plane of symmetry corresponding to said junction plane and afurther plane of symmetry perpendicular to said junction plane andpassing through said axis.

7. The handle defined in claim 6 wherein said means for joining saidmembers comprises a plurality of fastener elements extending generallytransversely to said junction plane and interconnecting said members.

8. The handle defined in claim 6 wherein said members are bondedtogether along said plane.

9. The handle defined in claim 6 wherein said members have inwardlyextending ridges bounding said recesses and spaced from said ramps.

1. A handle for a valve having a laterally projecting rotary operator,said handle comprising a pair of members together forming an axiallyopen cavity receiving said operator and constituting the onlycavity-forming members, and means for joining said members togetheralong a junction plane of the axis of said cavity, said members beingsubstantially identical and mirror symmetrical, said cavity being formedwith at least one ramp engageable with said operator to axially displacesame, said ramp bearing upon said operator with relatively high pressurein one axial position of said operator and with relatively low pressurein another axial position thereof, said ramp extending continuouslyannularly around said axis along both members.
 2. The handle defined inclaim 1 wherein said plane extends through the region of engagementbetween said operator and said ramp in said other axial position of saidoperator.
 3. The handle defined in claim 2 wherein said means includesat least one pin and a corresponding recess formed on each member forreceiving the pin of the other.
 4. The handle defined in claim 2 whereinsaid means for joining said members together includes at least one ringlying in a plane perpendicular to said junction plane and said axiswhile spanning said junction plane and engaging said members.
 5. Thehandle defined in claim 2 wherein said means for joining said memberstogether includes at least one fastener bridged across said plane withsaid members.
 6. The handle defined in claim 2 wherein the handle iselongated and has a first plane of symmetry corresponding to saidjunction plane and a further plane of symmetry perpendicular to saidjunction plane and passing through said axis.
 7. The handle defined inclaim 6 wherein said means for joining said members comprises aplurality of fastener elements extending generally transversely to saidjunction plane and interconnecting said members.
 8. The handle definedin claim 6 wherein said members are bonded together along said plane. 9.The handle defined in claim 6 wherein said members have inwardlyextending ridges bounding said recesses and spaced from said ramps.